Automatic switch.



F. A. LUNDQWST.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21 I916.

Patented July 23, 1918.

071 677 for: Frank A. Lundqu/si by j FRANK A. LUNDQUIST, or NEW YORK, N. Y., PANY, INCORPORATED, OF N W YO B K; N.

ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- Y.; A QQB PQBATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC swrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed December 2, 1916. Serial N 0. 134,577.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. LUNDQUIST, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to selecting switches and more particularly to automatic switches employed in telephone systems.

This invention has for its purpose the production of an automatic switch which is economical to manufacture, rapid in operation and whose contacting elements are compactly arranged.

One feature of this invention is the novel arrangement of the fixed or passive terminals of a group of lines.

Another feature of this invention is the production of an automatic switch in which the movable brushes are actuated by gravity to bring them into engagement with the terminals of the selected line.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the manner in which the flexible cord conductors, usually employed to con nect to the movable terminals or brushes, are eliminated.

Other features of the invention will appear from the following detailed description and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a skeleton side view of the switch with certain parts broken away and also shows a circuit arrangement suitable for operating the switch. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch, showing the arrangement of the fixed contacts or terminals and the arrangement of the movable terminals or brushes of the switch. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation'of the terminal bank and the arrangement of a set of brushes for engagement with the fixed contacts or terminals of the bank.

The switch consists of a terminal bank of the panel type, which consists of a plurality of contact strips separated by suitableinsulating material, and of directively controlled sets of movable brushes operated by gravity. In the restoration of the switch a power-driven shaft elevates the brushes to their normal positions.

5 designates a brush shaft mounted for vertical and rotary movement in a frame (not shown). This shaft 5 carries sets of movable terminals or brushes 7 which are spaced apart and spirally arranged on the shaft. The sets of movable brushes 7 are arranged to engage the fixed terminals of a terminal bank generally designated as 9.

The terminal bank 9 is of the panel type and consists of strips of conducting material each separated by suitable insulation, and clamped in fixed relation to each other in any suitable support. The conducting strips arranged in sets of three are provided with contacts which constitute the tip, ring and sleeve contacts of any line. The numerals 13 and 15 designate the tip and ring contacts and numeral 1 1 designates the sleeve or test contact of the set. By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the tip and ring contacts 13 and 15 are shorter than test contact 14 and are offset at right angles thereto but the general arrangement of the contacts 13, 14- and 15 is in a vertical row. Parallel to and adjacent each group of contacts there are placed conducting or commutator strips 16 and 17 with which the movable brushes 18 and 19 engage when they are in engagement with any set of fixed contacts. The brushes 10 and 11 are insulatedly mounted on shaft 5 and engage the offset ends of contacts 13 and 15 respectively, while the test brush 20 in set 7 which is not insulated from shaft 5, engages the ends of the test contacts 14.

The brush shaft 5 near its intermediate portion is provided with rotary ratchet teeth 21 with which therotary pawl 22 engages to rotate the shaft. The pawl 22 is secured to the arm of the bell crank lever 23. This lever is pivoted to the frame and is actuated by armature 24 of the rotary magnet 25. An insulated projection 26 which is carried by the bell crank lever 23 controls the contact springs 27. A holding dog 28 normally engages the rotary ratchet teeth 21 to hold the shaft in the position to which it has been rotated. A second bell crank lever 29 mounted on the frame is controlled by a lug 30 on the rotary pawl 22 to disengage the holding dog 28 from the rotary ratchet teeth 21 while the shaft is being rotated. The holding dog 28 near its upper portion has an angular projection 31 which engages an insulating disk 32 carried by the shaft to hold the dog out of engagement with the rotary ratchet teeth 21 during-the restora or tenant s rings '33 and 354 as willb'e-h'cree.

tion of the switch to its was positionj The insulating disk 32 also controls a set inafter-"described. E Near the upper portion of the brush shaft there is mounted for rotary movement on the shaft 5, a dou-blet'o'oth ratchet 35. An escapement member 36 car ried on aiiai'in of the frame engages with the" teeth of the ratchet member 35 1 The escapement member 36 is provided with an arm 3?, which ;is .arranged toybe engagedbygir projection on a pivoted latch member 38. This latch member is controlled by the armaturelof the relay 39 and operates to lock the escapement 36 and during the setting of theswitchoperates to close circuits through the contacts 40 and 41. A constantly rotating shaft 42-is supported in anysuitable manner on the frame of the switch. A spring actuated clutch member 43 is normally held out of the clutch member 7.1 by meansfofa bell-crank, lever 44. The clutch 43 carries -a,drum 44 onwhichacord 46 secured to the shaft 5 is wound; during the restoration of the switch. The bell crank lever- 14, which ispivote'dito the frame'terminates in a transverse hook .48, while its otherend{terminates in an upturned portion' 49. An additional bell cranklever 50 also-,piyoted to the "frame is actuated by the armature of -magnet 5.1. This lever 50 is provided with insulated lmob 52 which controls the closing of contact springs 53 and is further provided with tlhe latch member 54 to engage the hool; 48 and a resilient catch 55 which :engages the lug56 of. the shaft for purposes to be vhereinafter described. I V v In the=operation ofthe switch when the subscrilaqn,v Whose substation apparatus is designatedas 57,1'e1noYeshis receiver from the book, a 7 line finder indicatedby the brushes 58 and 60 operates to connect a calling substation to the selector switch of this invention. As soon as the finder has found the terminals of the calling line a circuit is completed from grounded battery, Winding of relay '59, upper side ofthe line, finder brush 58, substationapparatus- 57 the finder brush 660 of the finder switch, winding of therelay 61, to ground. The relay 59 retracts its arinaturez-for eachinterruption of itsenergizing circuittbut the relay 61, how ever is,slo'w to release, or ,in other words, its, armature does-not retract during momentary interruptions of its operating cir cuit, Then the circuit, just described, is completed through the winding of these relaysfthey attract their armatures. Then, howeyer, the subscriber operateshis dial switch, relay 59 vibrates i its armature and thereby completes a f circuit vfrom grounded battlery armature and back contact of the relay 59,, inner armature and, front contact of -r ey 61s en wi ri nes windin s? the 'ielay 25', to ground. The relay 25 vibrates 'its armature in response to the im pulsesitransmittedabyithesubscrtben weir-mat: ture 24. actuates .the?b'ellfcrankflever 23 causing the member 29 to disengage the holding dog 28-fi-'om the rotary ratchet teeth and simultaneously causing the pawl 2-2 to engage the'rotary ratchet teeth 21 to rotate the shaft. T he shaft-Sis rotated under the control of the rotary magnet 25 until the proper set of brushes 7 has been placedinoperative relation to the f'selected group trunks. \V hen the rotaryjmagnet 25 fii'st operated its armature'24 the insulated "projectionflti brought the cont-act springs-27 intoengag'ement to close a circuit from grounded bat-t tery through the contact springs 27, winding of the slow releasing relay 62, to ground. The relay 62, attracts its armature to prevent the energiza'tion of magnet 39 atthis time. It will be understood that the insulated projection 63, carried by. the shaft, disengages the spring -64 after thel firstlrotary step of the shaft. This permits the contact spring 64 to@ engage the contacts 65 and 66. At the close of the directive seriesof impulses the energizing V circuit of the relay 621s opened at the contact springsQ'T causing the relay62 to retractitslarm'ature.

A circuitis thereupon closed from ground ed battery, winding of the relay 39,:confta'ct springs 34, armature and back contact of the relay 62, contact 66, contactspring 64, contact 65, to ground. The relay 39 attracts its armature thereby disengaging the latch 38 from the arm37 ofthe escapement. 36. As soon asthe shaft descends gcircnit is interrupted. at contact springs 34, but another energizing circuit for relay 39. isfcompleted from grounded battery, winding of relay 39, insulated gcontact 40, latch member 38, conductor 67 test brush '12, test contacts of busy trunks, to ground through the test brush of other switches, through conductors similar to 67,1thr0ugh latch members and contacts similarto 38 and 40, to ground. The shaft 5 descends under the control of. the escapeincntunember 36 until, the test brush 20 encounters the {test terminal ofan idle trunk. This idle condition of the trunk-is indicatedbythel absence of ground was test terminal, As Soon as thetestbrush 20encounters the test terminal characterized by the absence of ground, the a.

magnet 39 retracts its armature causingmhe latch member 38 to engage the arm of the escapement-36rtohold the shaft iii-the vposition to which it has been loweredr soon asithe armature of the relay. 39 is retracted.

a ground is applied to the test terminal of the trunk seized, over a circu t extending from ground, insulated contact "4,0, latch 'member 38, conductorj67, testbrush 20 to the test terminal .14. Thecalling substation 57 m extended 1 the succeeding selector lOO through finder brushes 58 and 60, trunks 72 and 73, conducting strips 17 and 16 respectively, brushes 19 and 18, terminals 13 and and trunk conductors 7 at and 75.

At the termination of the conversation when the subscriber replaces his receiver on the switchhook the energizing circuit of the relays and (S1 is interrupted causing these relays to retract their armatures. A circuit is then completed from grounded battery, outer armature and back contact of the relay ($1, winding of the magnet 51, contact springs 64, contact 65, to ground. The magnet 51 attracts its armature and disengages latch 5% from the transverse hook 48, which permits the bell crank lever at to disengage the clutch member 43. The clutch member -l-3 then engages the member 71, winding the cord 46 on the drum 45. The shaft 5 is thus elevated until the spring catch 55 engages the lug 56 to support the shaft in its elevated position. It will be noted that as soon as the magnet 51 attracts its armature a circuit is closed from grounded battery, winding of magnet 39, through contact springs 53, to ground. The relay 39 is energized in this circuit and attracts its armature, thereby disengaging the latch member from the arm 37 of the escapement 1nember. While the shaft 5 is being elevated the position just described the insulating disk encounters arm 31, to disengage the holding dog 28 from the rotary ratchet teeth 31. As soon as this takes place coil spring 68 causes gear wheels 69 and 70 to rotate the shaft to its normal rotary position. When the shaft rotates to normal the insulated knob 63 opens the energizing circuit of relay 51 which is completed through contact spring 6% and contact 65. The relay 51 retracts its armature, thereby causing the spring catch 55 to disengage lug 56 of the shaft. Simultaneously the latch 5a engages the hook 48 which causes lever 44 to force clutch member 43 out of engagement with member 71. The switch is now in its normal position.

YV hat is claimed is:

1. In a terminal bank, a plurality of contact strips insulatively separated from each other, contacts on said strips extending from the face of said bank, contacting portions of certain of said contacts being in a plane parallel-to the face of the bank, contacting portions of certain others 01 said contacts being in a plane which intersects the face of the bank, and means for supporting said contact strips in fixed relation.

2. In a terminal bank, a plurality of contact strips insulatively separated from each other, contacts on said strips, the ends of certain of said contacts being arranged to serve as the contacting portions, and the sides of other of said contacts being arranged to serve as the contacting portions, and means for supporting said contact strips in fixed relation.

3. In a terminal bank, a plurality of con tact. strips insulatively separated from each other and arranged in sets, contacts on said sets of strips arranged in alinement, contacting port-ions on the sets of said contacts being diagonally arranged, and means for supporting said contact strips in fixed relation.

4. In a terminal bank, a plurality of insulatively separated contact strips, said contact strips being arranged in sets, contacts on said strips, certain of the contacts of a set having contacting portions extending in a direction at right angles to the contacts, and means for supporting said contact strips in fixed relation,

In an automatic switch, passive contacts, a brush support, a set of brushes secured to said support and mounted to engage said passive contacts, said brushes having contacting surfaces, the contacting surface of one or said brushes of a set extending in a difierent direction from the contacting surfaces of other brushes of the set, means to operate said brush support, and means to release the same. i

G. In an automatic switch, passive contacts arranged in sets, each contact of the set having a contacting portion which extends in a difierent direction from the contacting portions of other contacts of the set, a brush support, a set of brushes secured to said support and arranged to engage said sets of contacts, said brushes having contacting portions, the contacting surface of one of said brushes of a set extending in a direction at right angles to the contacting surfaces of other brushes of the set, means to operate said brush support, and means for releasing the same.

7. In a terminal bank, a plurality of contact strips insulatively separated from each other and arranged in sets, contacts on said sets of strips arranged in alinement, the ends of certain of the contacts in alinement being arranged to serve as the contacting portion, the sides of other of the contacts in alinement being arranged to serve as the contacting portion, and means for supporting said contact strips in fixed relation.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of November, A. D. 1916.

FRANK A. LUNDQUIST.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentl,

Washington, D. G. 

